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Liberty feels the familiar squeeze rising from her belly to her chest and knows what’s coming: a lockdown, rage, the need to escape. Her ex-husband has sent another threatening message. Within seconds, she’s grabbed her car keys, leaving her new husband bewildered in the kitchen. She’s protecting him from her anger, but really, she’s wrestling with a body that won’t let go of the past.

After several episodes, Liberty realized she wasn’t dealing with character flaws or emotional weakness. Her body was stuck in survival mode, a condition called autonomic dysregulation.We had a problem loading this article. Please enable javascript or use a different browser. If the issue persists, please visit our help center.